Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"

Monday, June 13, 2011

PRAY, GIVE & HELP REBUILD THIS $650 SCHOOL

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Before you read this, please don't say, "here's another request for money. Everybody wants $ these day!" This is not an email about money...you may or may not be able to make a donation but you can offer a pray on behalf of this situation. As believers we are often so focused on praying for the needs we see that we forget the ones we can not see. This is a reminder of one of those needs we can not see.

Stan, Crossroads team member living in Nairobi, Kenya, sent us an email today about a situation that needs IMMEDIATE prayer. It concerns Joshephat, a young African man who has been a good friend to Stan and indispensable in helping Crossroads. He and his wife, Nelly, operate a small school in Kayole, one of Nairobi's slums. They have been gracious in allowing Stan to use the classroom for Crossroads Bible College classes and by acting as his translator. Additionally, this little slum school, known as the Kayole Christian Academy, is a beacon of hope in the lives of hundreds of children who would otherwise not be able to attend school. Recently, the owners of the property sold it and gave Joshephat two weeks to get out. If this school goes-so does the education of these children. Joshephat has rented another piece of ground but must construct four classroom areas to legally operate a school. He used every penny to secure a small plot and now needs funds to buy the building materials.

Please understand, we are not talking about constructing a school with cement floors and hinged doors, but rather a school made of wooden poles and tin with dirt floors. However, even the cheapest building materials have become very expensive in Kenya. Joshephat he needs 53,000KSH (Kenyan shillings) or $650.

While Stan's Bible students, who are very poor, are not able to give money they said they would be honored to help with the building. Stan relates, "even after being in Kenya for over two years, the level of poverty here in Kayole still amazes me. For example, just the other day, a young man I know came by my house and asked if he could cut off branches from my Aloe Vera plant to make shampoo". We can only imagine such poverty.

PRAYERS DO GET ANSWERED

Stan writes:In closing, I would like to say that "prayers do get answered. In my last email I asked for prayer for a young street boy named Kazi. I met Kazi while shopping at a market near a dump; he and several other street boys actually live there. Something about Kazi stood out. He didn't appear to be addicted to glue, like most of the boys and when I asked him if he knew Jesus, he said yes. One day I asked Kazi if he would like to make some money doing my laundry (I do laundry outside by a water pump). He answered, "Oh yes. I will do a good job." For months each time he would leave to go back to the dump he asked me to pray that the Lord would send someone to help him go to school. I explained to him how our Heavenly Father care for us no mater how desperate our situation my appear. He waited and waited for his prayer to be answered and finally it came-Monday Kazi attended to his first day of boarding school, sponsored by a local charity. Not only will he receive the education he so faithfully prayed for but will also have a safe to live and plenty of food to eat. His Heavenly Father answered his prayer above and beyond anything he could have imagined.

Ephesians 3: 20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

So please pray that Joshephat will have the funds to buy the building supplies and for my continued wisdom and strength in dealing with the daily challenges of living and ministering in Kenya.God Bless,Stan

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16

As missionaries we consider cross-cultural missions to be a thrilling expedition, full of challenges and discoveries. Our travels take us to some amazing places and people. As we leave our "base camp" we are blessed to ‘forge streams’ of new relationships and ‘climb mountains’ with those who survive solely on hope. It's a wonderful adventure. Please join us. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. Ephesians 3:14-16, the apostle Paul

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

ADVENTURE OUTREACH-A GREAT TIME FOR KIDS TO HEAR THE NAME OF "JESUS"

TEACHING

Stan teaching teen class

Cliff teaching Maasai pastors

INTERNATIONAL ARTS IN HEALTHCARE

Global mental health care and art therapy training.

Int'l Arts in Healthcare

Paula Taylor has worked with survivors of traumatic experiences, including domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, disaster and terminal and life threatening illness. She uses techniques that significantly enhance trauma therapy by providing children the opportunity to express their trauma experience through multiple creative approaches.